Clothes-drier



UNITED STATES PATENT' CFFICE.

ELLIOT DICKERMAN, OF IHCHM'ND, VERMONT.

` CLOTHES-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,530, :lated October 30, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIOT DIGKERMAN, of Richmond, in the county of Chittenden and State of \'7ermont, have invented a new and Improved Clothes- Drier or Folding Rack for Suspending Clothes to be Dried; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the construction and operation. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents the device in its extended and Fig. 2 in its folded condition.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawings.

A is a square post supported in any convenient manner in an upright position.

B and C are blocks or castings adapted to slide vertically thereon but not to turn longitudinally. On the exterior of 'each is a circular seat or recess in which is fitted a ring or revolving hub which is fr ee to turn or revolve in the horizontal plane. The ringb or revolving hub M is fitted around B and the hubN is fitted around C. To' the hub N is hinged a series of arms D which are connected to the hub M by braces E as represented. The joints of all these parts are flexible so that the arms may fold or close into a position parallel to A by lowering N relatively to VI. The arms D are connected each to the next by the several clothes lines J as represented.

The cord G is attached to the lower sliding block C and extends upward through a hole in the upper block B and over a sheave H in the top of the post A. From thence it is continued downward through the opposite side of B where another similar hole is located for its passage and still farther down through a similar hole in the lower sliding block C and is firmly secured to any convenient cleat or fixture below. The holes b, and c through which this cord passes the respective castings B and C, are within the revolving hubs M and N so that those hubs and the system of arms and cords connected therewith may be rotated at pleasure without affecting the cord or being aected thereby.

To the hub M I connect a series of additional arms P as represented. These are connected each to the next by clothes lines which P is made to rest and be supported uwhen extended.

T is a guard or guide bar fixed to D at the points represented and extending parallel thereto for a sulicient distance to allow the proper motion of P relatively to D. These guides embrace P between themselves and D.

The operation of extending the apparatus is performed by first hauling down on the cord G to raise C, and thus extending the arms D into the position shown in F 1g. l. The cord G may now be tied to sustain C by its tension, or the cord may be aided or entirely supplanted in this oiiice by a spring catch V which is provided in the side of A as represented which holds C up in the position represented until the spring is pressed inward by the hand or otherwise.

`While the structure is in this condition the arms P hang vertically from their points of connection to B and the cords J are alone ready to receive the garments to be dried. This portion of the apparatus is now made to receive its proper load of clothes. The arms P are now drawn out simply by the hand of the operator and made to rest upon the stops R until all are extended as shown in Fig. 1 when the line K is loaded with clohting and the operation is complete. The reverse of this process leaves the frame again contracted into a small compass as shown in Fig. 2.

Instead of followin the above program strictly and literally, 1t is preferable to fill the upper portion of the apparatus with clothes before it is hoisted to its extreme height. To this end the cord G must at the commencement of the operation be hauled only to a sufficient extent to spread the arms D without hoisting B. While the parts are held temporarily in this condition (either by tying the cord G or by springs not represented in the post A) the clothes are placed on J so as to require no further attention. The cord G is next hauled so as to raise both the sliding blocks B and C with all their attachments to their fullest extent and the arms P subsequently extended and loaded as before described.

My arrangement of the cord G relatively to the other parts allows the parts to be revolved Without aiieoting it in any Wise, and is not liable to derangement and a failure to operate in consequence, like those in Which a sheave is required to swivel around at the top of the post A for this purpose.

My extra series of arms P and cords K.

Y eose what I claim as nev'v' therein andk desire to secure by Letters Patent is The employment in clothes driers, yof lthe arms P, and clothes lines K, in combination With the arms D, and clothes lines, J, and

with suitable stops on D, substantially as herein specified. Y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ELLIOT DICKERMAN.

Witnesses: Y

WM. B. SMITH, A. SNYDER. 

